It was road trip time once again. This time, one of the wine clubs (Pear Valley) I joined in Paso Robles was going to have its release party. I had enjoyed the one for Chronic Cellars (Well, except for the guy who had the seizure that I had to help with. EEK! See HERE for details of that experience.) so much, that I wanted to go to this one too. Erich wouldn’t be accompanying me on this trip. He was having adventures of his own in Oregon at the time. Instead, this time my pal Christa Polkinhorn would be meeting up with me for whatever adventures we encountered. I hadn’t seen Christa in quite a while (a year or more?), so hopefully this would be a really super fun trip.
My rental car was a compact. It was a Chevy Sonic. With the driver seat pushed all of the way back into literally the back seat, I surprisingly had plenty of leg room.
My first stop was at the James Dean Memorial in Cholame, not far from the intersection from where the actor was killed.
I've been to the memorial before, but it had been a while and I had no idea where my photos of it are now... So, it was time for a re-visit.
It was also time for a much-needed pee break. The restaurant next to the memorial had a sign announcing that restrooms were for customers only. But I did spy a port-o-potty in the back o' the parking area. I went in and...YIKES! It looked like no one had emptied or changed out the port-o-potty since, well, about when James Dean had died! It was crazy full and GROSS. Thank goodness I realized there was a separate urinal on the side. Phew!
I arrived at the Adelaide Inn a little while later. Christa always stays at the Adelaide when she visits Paso Robles and so I thought I'd check it out this trip.
I liked it already as soon as I drove up. They had decorated for Halloween. Hooray!
Christa was there to meet me as soon as I emerged from the car. She had arrived the day before. (You can read about her scandalous journey [which included an unchaperoned --gasp!-- visit to a monk's monastery in San Luis Obispo. SHOCKING! Those poor monks never knew what they were in for] HERE!)
My room was in a single-story row near the pool area. Christa's room was in the back of the complex on the 2nd floor.
My room was comfortable enough...except for the showers. Ugh! It had "soft water". I hate that. It leaves you feeling oily and like the soap/shampoo has never washed off.
Christa grabbed the biggest wine glass she could find and started sucking the stuff down. No, I am kidding (or am I?). Christa seemed to like the place, with its Dia de los Muertos-like decor (and wine labels). The staff was friendly, too.
The tasting menu was, not surprisingly, the same menu they'd had at the wine release party in August. I had preferred the menu and wines before that, but what can you do.
We had a nice time. I insisted on buying Christa a bottle of their sparkling wine (Spirits & Giggles, which was NOT on their tasting menu this time, but that I love) and a bottle of their Sofa King Bueno, just for the cleaver--if tacky--name. (Think about it. Bueno is Spanish for "Good" Say the name replacing "Good" for "Bueno" and just listen to what you are saying...and realize it's NOT "Sofa King"). Hopefully, Christa finds both bottles sofa king bueno.
Although this young man was not our server, Christa kept staring at him. So when it was time to leave, I called the bewildered man over to get a photo with him. Did she slip him her number? I'll never know for sure. But that smile on his face may prove otherwise. SHOCKING!
I also had Christa take a photo with our REAL server. She was great.
Next it was off to the Pear Valley Winery for their wine release party. Jinkies! We arrived a full 20 minutes early. But it was just as well we did as the parking lot was already getting pretty full. (And that allowed us time for more free tastings. Mmmm.)
Although I did not get a photo of Christa and this server guy together, she kept staring at him, too. She said he reminded her of a vampire or something? A winepire, perhaps? EEK!
This winery had a nice party. You could sit on the patio or in the large event room, just off of the tasting room. Wine was served and you could have full samples (not just tastes) of whatever you chose...as well as have seconds and thirds if you wished.
We opted to eat in the event hall. It was air conditioned. Ha!
We had a nice time and I really like the Pear Valley Winery.
This woman, Allysha, was the woman who first served me on my original visit to the winery. She is also the one who got me to join the club. She's fab.
With her glass empty and clearly being blotto, it was time to take Christa away...
We headed back to Paso Robles to poke around and find someplace for dinner. Although there was food at the winery, it was more to nosh on than a full meal. Our fist stop was at the Brown Butter Cookie Company, which (Shut the front door! No way!) was Christa's first-ever visit.
We noticed figures outside of most businesses, like this Cookie Monster. Apparently there was a city-wide scarecrow contest going on. I got more shots of some others as we poked around the square some more.
Here are some more of the "scarecrows".
Christa had never been inside the co-op gallery space before either. (She's been to Paso a lot, too. What does she do with her time there? Probably spends it passed out in a vineyard someplace, is my guess. Oh my STARS!)
We decided to have dinner at CATCH.
Christa had some yummy looking shrimp dish. Me? I had my usual (boring) chicken salad. Ha!
And that was pretty much it for that day. It was back to the hotel rooms after that. I went and did some work online, contacting folks for an article I am working on. Christa went back and either had startling phone conversations with a few monks at the monastery or with the young server at Chronic Cellars or (probably) was further plotting world domination by the Swiss. Whatever she was doing, I'm sure she was up to no good. Ha!
The next day would be another day of "firsts" for Christa as we ventured to.... Oh, but you'll just have to wait and see!
CHEERS!
PS If you'd like to see what shocking and salacious lies Christa has to say about that day (or...GASP...me!) click HERE for her blog and interpretation of the day's events.
To continue on to day two, click HERE.
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